Dirigible headlight.



B. NL HUH:`

DIRIGIBLE HEADJGHT. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. 19m.

Patented July H, HHG.'

www f W.

B. lVl. HUFF. DRlGlBLE HEADUGHT. APPLlcATmN HLED 11111.21, 1911.

atented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3111111111111 on Mmyfnaar MACE Herr, or Ln FAYETTE, INDIANA.

DIRIGIQBLE HEADLIGHT.

raconte.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented duly 11, 19106.

Application mea January ai, 191i. semaine. 813,538.

To all whom t may concern: p

Be it known that I, BERT MACE Herr, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe, State of Indiana, have invented certain new` and useful Improvements in Dirigible Headlights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art -to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in dirigible headlights for automobiles and other vehicles, and has -particular application to mechanism whereby the lamps of the vehicle will be turned in the direction of travel of the latter simultaneously with the turning of the front or steering wheels.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide mechanism whereby the lamp or lamps, which in the practice of my invention, are located at the front of the vehicle, may be controlled from the steering devices of the vehicle so that no matter in what direction the front .wheels of the vehicle may be turned the lamp or lamps will be simultaneously turned in the same direction.

Still a further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which will embody in its construction the desired features of simplicity, eiliciency, reliability and convenience.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figurel is a. top plan view of a portion of a motor vehicle having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through one of the clamps and the lamp yoke or bracket carried thereby. Fig. 4 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of one of the lamp supporting posts andits connected parts. Fig. 5 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation of the connecting rod between one of the lamp supporting posts and the steering rod of the vehicle. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the clamps for securing one of lamp posts to the frame of the vehicle. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the clamp employed with steering mechanism embodying steering rods extending parallel with the longitudinal channel lirons of the vehicle frame. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the angular lever employed in connection with vehicles provided with transverse steering rods.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates as an entirety a portion of the frame of the vehicle, mcludmg the longitudinal bars 1-1, while 2 designates a steering rod extending transversely of the frame and 3 indicates the axle of the vehicle carrying the usual wheels 4.

In order to mount the lamps upon the frame of the vehicle, I provide a pair of clamps, each indicated by the letter C, one clamp being secured to the forward portion of each rod 1. Each clamp C comprises a sleeve 5 having a reduced central bore 6 and enlarged end bores 7 communicating with the central bore 6. Parallel spaced .arms 8- 8 are carried by the sleeve, these arms being adapted to span the bar 1 to the frame, the ends of the arms being reduced and threaded as at 9, while 10 designates a plate having apertures 11 through which the reducedends 9 are passed, these nuts receivlng the cap nuts 12. From this it will be noted that each clamp is secured in position upon lts bar 1 by means of its plate and cap nut.

Seated within each of lthe end bores 7 of each sleeve 5 is a Section of coil spring 13 adapted to cushion the post 14 when the latter is inserted through the sleeve.` There are of course two of these posts, one for each lamp, and as these posts and their coperating parts are substantially similar in construction, a description of one will suffice for both. Each post 14 is formed at its upper end with a collar 15 which when the post is inserted in its sleeve 5 will bear upon the adjacent coil spring 13. The lower end of each post terminates in a reduced threaded stud 16 adapted to receive the collar nut 17, and the washer 18, all being secured in position by means of the nut 19 threaded onto the terminal 0f the stud 16. From this vit will be seen that the post 14 is free to turn in the sleeve 5 and is also cushioned so that any jar caused by the vibrations of the vehicle will be reduced. The upper end of each post 14 is provided with a relatively 22 from which extends an arm 23 fg vpurpose yherein described, and as will' be4 long threaded shank 2() upon which is fit a cap nut which when in position fits over the top end of the sleeve 5. Threaded on the shank 20 and overlying a cap 21 is a Iplate the seen by 'reference-to the drawings the two arms 23, which are employed, project rearward. Superimposed upon each plate 22 is the lamp bracketor yoke 24 formed of the two sections 25-25, the lower horizontal sections 26-26 of which are provided with alining openings 27 through which the shank 20 projects. A washer 28 and a nut 29 are placed uponthe end of the shank 20 and secure all the parts together. p j

As above stated, the arms 23 project `inward from their respective sides of the vehicle frame and extend rearward and in order to connect these arms I provide the inner end of each arm with a short vertical sleeve 30 which is spanned by the bifurcated end 31. ofthe adjacent sleeve rod 32, a' boltl 33 fastening the sleeve rod .at the `sleeve 30. Each sleeve rod 32 has threaded therein the adjacent end ofthe connectlngrod 35, a nut 36 beingemployed `for fastening eachend of the rod. By this arrangement itis seen that the revolving supporting mechanism of each lamp L is connected` with the revolving supporting mechanism of the otherA lamp,soy thatwhen one lamp isv turned as 'herein described, the other lamp willbe simultaneously turned in therrsame direction.

In order to operate the lamps from the steering rod of the vehicle VI'provide the following mechanism: Extending from one` of thecollar nuts 17 is an arm 37, the free end of which is provided with a series of short spaced sleeves38` which are designed to be optionallyplaced within the bifurcated end 39 of the short sleeve rod 40, the bore of each sleeve 33 alining'with the bores 41` of the bfurcated portion 39, so that the .armf

37 may *be connected with the sleeve rod 40 by means of the pin 42 passing through such alining bores. This sleeve rod 40 is de-` signed to receivethe threadedend 43'of the rod 44, the `opposite end ofs'aid rod extending into the tubular rod 45 and is threaded intothe nut 46. At each side of the nut 46 is arranged a coil buffer spring 47, the outer ends of said springs bearing against. the

stop blocks 48. By .this it will be seen that while a 'certain "amount of relative move-y ment is permittedv `between therod`44 and' the tubular rod section 45, such movement 'is cushioned and limited by the springs. The opposite end ofthe tubular'rod 45 from that into which the rod 44 projects'is adapted to receive` the shank 46 of the forlr47, This fork v47 i'sde'signed to'be connected by ineans'of'the arm 4S with the steering r'od of the vehicle.l From this it will be vseen that the diHerent parts just described as ex-l `steering rods run transversely of the car iin- ,seen .that the invention essentially comprises a driving operating rod which is connected tending between 'the arm'37 kand the spring rod 2 in reality constitute a rod by means of which one of the lamps Amay be turned when the steering rod is operated. If desired, the connection between the arm 37 and the steering rod might be made in the form of a single rod, but for general purposes, Iprefcr A to construct it as above described. Further more I have so designed this" operating connection between the steering rod and one of the lmp posts that itmay be used on two t pes of cars, one type being that wherein the steering rods run parallel with the frame and the other type being that wherein the f mediately back of the front axle. In the later type of steering rod, which is conveniently shown in Fig. 1`,` I show the fork 47 adapted to be connected by means of the arm 48 with the transverse steering rod 2. For the type of steering rod which runs parallel with the frame or longitudinally of the car, I provide an angular lever 49, shown in Fig. 7, this angular lever being pivotally connected to the frame of the car at its heel portion 50. The lever is 'ada ted to be connected at its end 51 to the for 47 by means of a suitable bolt or the like, and is'adapted to be connected at its opposite end 52 tothe arm 48 by means of a bolt. It is to be understood that the arm 48 which is clamped to the steering rod is also used in connection with the angular lever 49' shown in Fig. 7, when my device is applied to a car having longitudinal steering rods.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my invention will be readily apparent. It will be to the steering rod of the vehicle and to the support of one 'of the lamps. "Consequently i as the steering rod is turned, the operating or driving rod is actuated land the lamp siip- 11G port, to. which .it is connected will also be lturned inthe same direction as the vehicle is turned and as this lamp supportis in turn connected through the rod 35 with its companion lamp at the opposite sideyof the ve hicle, the latter will also be tui'ned simultaneously with the rst mentioned lamp.

It will be noted that I have provided an exceedingly simplev yet efficient mechanism by which the head lights of the vehicle are madeJ dirigible, so that every turn madeby the vehicle will cause a corresponding turning 'of the lamps, thereby insuring that the waywill at all'times be lighted and thus obviating the possibility of serious accidents.

While` I have herein shown'and described. one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish itto be understood that I do not con! iine myself to all the precisedetails of coj' 1h struction herein set forth by way of iuris-,130

tration, as modification and variation may be made Without departing from the spirit of fzhe invention oi exceeding the scope of the appended claim,

What is claimed as new is:

rlihe combination with :i clamp adapted to he secured to one side of the fframe of u Vehicle, a vertical sleeve carried by said clamp, said sleeve having the ends of its bore enlarge-d, a post revolubly seated in said sleeve and having' collare thereon for slidably engaging in the bores, springs coiled about the ends of the post and seated in the enlarged sections of the bore of the sleeve and en- BERT MACE HUFF.

Witnesses MAURICE J. BIGAN, AUGUST ADE.

Coplas oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing che Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I?. G. 

